Lehigh University Athletics
Baseball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- spl3@lehigh.edu
Sean Leary begins his eleventh season as head coach at Lehigh and 16th overall with the baseball program. As head coach, Leary has a 197-234-4 record, second-best in school history. Last year, he guided the Mountain Hawks to their second highest win total in school history and their fourth consecutive appearance in the Patriot League Tournament – a feat never-before accomplished in the program’s history. In 2002, he led the team to a school record 29 wins and a share of its first regular season Patriot League title in school history.
In his first nine seasons, Leary has brought a disciplined style of play to the program, emphasizing pitching, defense and fundamentals. His philosophy is quickly adopted by his players, as Lehigh finished 13th in the country in fielding his first season at the helm. The Mountain Hawks have consistently finished at or near the top of the Patriot League in fielding percentage. Leary brings a wealth of knowledge and a high degree of enthusiasm to the clubhouse, making him one of the brightest young coaches in the Patriot League.
“Coach Leary was extremely enthusiastic in every facet of his game as a player, especially defense,” says former teammate and player Chris Querns ’96. “You can definitely see how that has translated into his coaching philosophy. He can relate to his players and motivate them to put enthusiasm into their game.”
At one time, Leary was the youngest Division I baseball coach in the country. He has coached five All-Americans: Pat Hollander, Jack Muscalus, Jesse Novalis, Matt McBride, and, last year, freshman Joe Ercolano. Leary also mentored one All-Region selection, Eric Hoffman. Leary has also managed a Patriot League Pitcher of the Year, Dave Cerminaro, and the 2003 Patriot League Player of the Year, Jesse Novalis. Another former Mountain Hawk coached by Leary, Ben Talbott, has moved on to play professional ball. During his ten years at Lehigh, he has coached five teams to 20 or more wins – including in each of the last four seasons.
A 1993 graduate of Lehigh, Leary earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and master’s in education. He played four years at Lehigh, starting at shortstop his senior year, while serving as captain, and batting .296, with one homerun and 15 RBIs.
In respect to his time as head coach at Lehigh, Leary said, “I love the sport, but impacting the lives of student-athletes both on and off the field is the reason I coach.”
Leary and his wife, Jennifer, reside in
